High-yield bond

High-yield bond

High-Yield Bond

A bond with a low rating. Bonds rated less than Baa3 by Moody's or BBB- by S&P or Fitch are considered high-yield bonds. They have higher yields because they have a higher risk of default on the part of the issuer. High-yield bonds are considered sufficiently high-risk that the law does not allow banks to invest in them. They are also called low-grade bonds, and, informally, junk bonds.

high-yield bond

High-yield bond.

As a result, to attract investors, issuers of high-yield bonds must pay a higher rate of interest than the rates that issuers of higher-rated bonds with the same maturity are paying. The higher rate translates to more income, which is the higher yield.

High-yield bonds may also be described, somewhat more graphically, as junk bonds.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.